Reds Edge Cubs 3-2 For Fifth Straight Win Over Chicago
CHICAGO (AP) — Tyler Mahle tossed one-run ball into the seventh inning and the Cincinnati Reds edged the Cubs 3-2 on Friday for their fifth straight victory over Chicago.
Adam Duvall and Scooter Gennett drove in runs as the Reds won for the 14th time in 18 games and ended the Cubs' six-game winning streak.
Billy Hamilton, Cincinnati's No. 9 hitter, had three hits and leadoff man Jose Peraza had two.
Mahle (7-6) allowed five hits and struck out four over 6 2/3 innings to win his fourth straight decision.
In his last seven starts, the 23-year-old right-hander has a 2.06 ERA.
Raisel Iglesias, Cincinnati's third reliever, got the final five outs for his 17th save in 20 chances.
Albert Almora Jr. and Ben Zobrist drove in the Cubs' runs on a 70-degree day at Wrigley Field with a stiff wind blowing in from the north.
Cubs starter Mike Montgomery (3-3) allowed three runs on six hits in five innings while walking two and hitting two batters. He scuffled in the fourth and fifth as the Reds built a 3-0 lead.
The Reds swept the Cubs in a four-game series in Cincinnati two weeks ago and kept it up on Friday by jumping ahead 2-0 in the fourth after loading the bases with no outs.
Duvall lined a single up the middle to score Gennett, then Joey Votto came home on Scott Schebler's double-play grounder.
Cincinnati tacked on a run in the fifth when Hamilton scored from third on Gennett's sacrifice fly.
The Cubs cut it to 3-1 in the bottom half of the inning when Almora grounded into a forceout and closed to 3-2 in the eighth on Zobrist's sac fly.
REDS ROSTER MOVE
INF Dilson Herrera was promoted from Triple-A Louisville to fill the spot vacated by LHP Cody Reed, who was sent down. Herrera had a .297 batting average and seven home runs at Louisville and was part of the Jay Bruce trade with the Mets last August.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Reds: Montgomery hit Votto with a pitch on the back of the helmet in the fifth, but Votto sprinted to first and remained in the game.
Cubs: Carl Edwards Jr. (right shoulder inflammation) was activated off the DL and Dillon Maples was optioned to Triple-A Iowa.
Theo Epstein said Yu Darvish (right triceps tendinitis/right elbow impingement and inflammation) is feeling better and is optimistic the star right-hander will make a "solid contribution" this season.
Epstein, the Cubs president of baseball operations, didn't provide a timetable for the starter's return. Darvish is in a strengthening phase.
Epstein said INF/OF Kris Bryant (left shoulder inflammation) had a good day in the batting cage on Friday and is nearing a return.
Epstein planned to meet with Bryant on Friday to determine next steps, which might include a brief rehab assignment.
UP NEXT
Reds RHP Matt Harvey (4-5, 4.91) takes the mound against Cubs RHP Tyler Chatwood (3-5, 4.54) on Saturday. Harvey has won his last three starts, with a 1.47 ERA over 18 1/3 innings.
Chatwood yielded seven runs in five innings to the Twins in his last outing, but still got a win as Chicago outslugged Minnesota 14-9. He leads the majors with 66 walks.
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